East From West

How much does God really love you?

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:11–12, NIV)

Fear of the LORD

Let me begin by addressing the word “fear” in this passage. Are we really meant to fear God? Part of the answer, I think, lies in how we understand the word “fear”. God is perfectly holy and just, and, because of our sin, we can never, on our own, live up to the perfect standard set by Him. Scripture says that even our most

“…righteous acts are like filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6, NIV)

In Old Testament times, people “feared” God so much that they refused to even speak His name. He is, however, the same God who knows each of us by our name. And what we could not do to earn any sort of favor with God, He sent His Son Jesus to earn for us.

Forgiven and free

Through Jesus’ death on the cross, we are forgiven. We are declared righteous, made right, before our Heavenly Father. As followers of Jesus, we need not fear God because of what Jesus has done for us through His death at Calvary.

Think of grace like this - a line extends infinitely in opposite directions. By its very definition, a line is without end. This is how I view the above passage from the Book of Psalms.

The beginning point of our forgiveness is found at the cross where Jesus died. He took our many sins into His flesh and removed them from us

“…as far as the east is from the west…” (Psalm 103:12, NIV)

Our forgiven sins could not be more distant from us than how they are described by the Psalmist.

At the same time, God is with us. By His Spirit, He lives within us. He loves us. He forgives all our wrongs.

Do you believe it? Live today as someone who is truly forgiven and free, because you are. You can thank God for His grace and kindness.